A Silver teaspoon with the handle engraved with “1st V.B. Essex Regt, Ilford. Morris Tube Rifle Club” above a pair of crossed rifles. The spoon itself measures 13cm by 3cm and weighs 21 grams. There is a little wear to the front edge of the bowl but otherwise the spoon is in very good condition with the engraving remaining clearly legible. The spoon is hallmarked London, 1905 with the makers mark of William Hutton & Sons Ltd.
The 1st V.B. was one of four volunteer battalions created in 1883 from a large number of small Rifle Volunteer Corps that had been formed in the county as a result of an invasion scare in 1859. the 1st V.B. existed until 1908 when it was absorbed into the newly formed Territorial Force. The Morris Tube referred to in the inscription was a device (a tube) that sat inside the barrel of a rifle in order to allow that rifle to fire much smaller calibre ammunition. In this way a Volunteer Battalion could train with service weapons even if they only had access to a small rifle range.
